Vast majorities of people are intrigued by games of chance. Indeed, cities, such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City have established the economic success of their city primarily on the gaming or lottery-type entertainment. The intrigue of this entertainment is based, in part, on the thrill of the risk involved and the opportunity for enormous returns based upon the risk taken. Although most people do not gain enormous returns on the investments, or the wagers made, people continue to play because of the very real opportunity for such returns.
As some gaming is prohibited in certain states, localized gaming has been established in particular places, such as, for example, foreign countries, states which have legalized gaming and in territories where gaming is legal, such as, on Indian reservations. A problem with some current gaming opportunities is that their locations are not convenient for most people. Thus, many people who cannot afford to travel to one of these locations cannot participate in the gaming experience.
To alleviate some of the inconvenience, many states which do not allow gaming have established local lotteries. Indeed, many countries other than the United States also offer lotteries. These lotteries, while convenient for those local to the lottery, are inconvenient for those who do not live within the vicinity of the location offering the lottery.
Since the advent of wide area networks, such as, for example, the Internet or the World Wide Web ("WWW"), global gaming has become of interest. Indeed, casino-type gaming enterprises have developed over wide area networks and offer a wide variety of gaming activities. Gaming on the Internet provides for the potential of returns, or jackpots, far greater than that generated at the local levels due to the international access. Thus, on-line gaming can provide for more exciting games as the game allows world wide involvement.
Although the lotteries on wide area networks provide convenience, relative ease of access and the potential for enormous winnings, one problem with casino-type gaming enterprises offered via computer networks, or in some other remote manner, is that it is virtually impossible to assure players that the virtual casino game is fair and has not been "virtually" manipulated or fixed in some manner. Indeed, as many on-line casino-type gaming enterprises are not local, it is difficult, and in some instances, impossible, to ascertain an assessment of the legitimacy of the entity or person offering the gaming. Current gaming on networks, such as the Internet, require that the player trust that the online gaming enterprise honestly reports the result of the games as there are no objective indicia that can be independently reviewed by the players to determine the results of the games.
As such, a need in the industry exists to provide a casino-type or lottery entertainment on wide area networks that provide for an objective indicia of the results of the game such that the individual players can ascertain the results of the game and be confident in their authenticity. Further, a need exists for a gaming method that provides for a verifiable method of selecting the winning results of the game.